Looking at the FiiO E17, it seems like an interesting idea. What I'm thinking about now is getting the E17 (mainly for portable use), and seeing how it sounds with my motherboard before deciding if I even need a dedicated sound card, and if I do end up feeling like I need a little something...

bump...

So I'm getting an HD598 and am thinking I need a soundcard or amplifier to get the most out of it (my motherboard is an Asus Maximum VI HERO). After some research, it seems like the three preferred methods for getting the most out of this headset are the Creative ZxR, Asus Xonar STX, and FiiO...